Cover for shopping bags



R. C. SKINNER COVER FOR SHOPPING BAGS Oct. 31, 1967 Filed 001:. 20, 1966 United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flexible shopping bag cover of heat adhesive material having a tubular container with transverse slots therein to receive handles of a bag and a flap portion secured at its mid portion to the tubular container. The flaps are inserted through the bag handles to cover the open portions of the slots to protect the shopping bag from the Weather.

My invention relates to shopping bags, and more .particularly to means for protecting their contents from rain, snow, dust or easy access with tampering intent. One object of the invention is to provide a cover for the above purpose which is primarily in the nature of a hood which encases the shopping bag to a point where it is an ample protector in the respects mentioned.

A further object is to design the cover in a manner to normally encase the upper part of the shopping bag, yet allow the handles of the same to rise through the cover for carrying the shopping bag in the usual manner.

An important object is to design a cover of the above character which is made only of two parts, and is therefore inexpensive to produce.

A better understanding of the invention may be gained by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a sheet comprising one part of the cover;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the other part of the cover;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the cover in completed form; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cover mounted on the shopping bag.

Referring specifically to the drawing, denotes the main part of the cover, the same being an oblong sheet of heat-adhesive plastic substance approximately forty inches in length and twenty inches in width. The sheet is designed for folding on itself along the finely-dotted line 10a; and it has a pair of transverse slots 10b spaced equally from the folding line 10a on opposite sides.

The second part of the cover is a strip 12 of the same material but much smaller, its size being approximately twelve inches in length and four inches in width. The strip is illustrated in FIG. 2, and is designed to be foldable on the finely-dotted line 12a.

To make the cover, the sheet 10 is folded as previously mentioned, and so illustrated in FIG. 3.. It is then heatpressed along the side edges, as suggested by the finely- 3,349,992 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 dotted lines 100, to assume the form of an inverted sack. The cover is completed by folding the strip 12 over the center of the sack, as shown in the same figure, and heatpressing the fold along the course of the finely-dotted line 12b to seal the fold to that of the sack, leaving the remainder of the strips in the form of a pair of flaps overlapping the slots 10b.

The cover is of a size to surmount a conventional shopping bag 14 as shown in FIG. 4 and to form a hood or cover for the same. The slots 10b permit the handles 14a to be passed through them to the upstanding positions shown for an easy grasp to carry the shopping bag. The flaps 12 may then be passed through the handles to drape over the sides of the cover as shown. It is noted that the slots 10]) are only slightly longer than the Width of the flaps, so that the latter fill the space between the foot portions of each handle 14a and close the slot between such portions against the entrance of rain, snow or dust. The cover thus forms a complete closure for the shopping bag to protect its contents as stated, or against unauthorized access, while the shopping bag is outdoors. When it is brought indoors and access to its contents is desired, it is an easy matter to remove the cover by simply picking it up from the center or at the ends. A shopping bag cover is thus had which is in one piece, and made only in two parts from material which is readily available and inexpensive; and the cover may be used over and over, since it is not put under any strain during use and is of a nature to last for a considerable period of time if handled with care.

What I claim is:

A cover for use with shopping bags of the type having a pair of looped handles extending upwardly therefrom, to provide a protective covering thereto, comprising: a flexible tubular container being made of heat adhesive material having a pair of opposed side wall portions, each with .a transverse slot extending parially thereacross and a seam to separate said side wall portions; flap portions including single length of heat-adhesive material secured to said seam at a mid portion by heat welding thereto, intermediate the slots whereby in use on applying the cover over a bag and inserting the bag handles through the slots the flaps may then be inserted through the bag handles to overlie a central portion of each slot not occupied by a portion of the respective handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,098,561 7/1963 Kass 20645.34 3,240,420 3/ 1966 Membrino 22954 FOREIGN PATENTS 705,235 3/ 1965 Canada.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. D. M. BOCKENEK, Assistant Examiner. 

